Surface species formed on MoO3/SiO2 catalysts prepared by manually gri
nding mixtures of both oxides in the presence of water vapour and with
molybdenum loadings between 2% and 12% were studied by X-ray diffract
ion, temperature-programmed reduction and scanning electron microscopy
. Polymolybdate species have been identified for molybdenum loadings b
elow 4%, these species condensing to form MoO3-like phases and orthorh
ombic MoO3, as the weight loading increases.